Method and apparatus for crosslaying web materials

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for efficiently handling and crosslaying webs of substantially aligned lightweight fibers in the production of nonwoven materials incorporating such crosslaid fibers for two-dimensional strength. Webs of substantially aligned fibers are conveyed along a first permeable carrier with their fibers oriented in the direction of travel and are transferred to a second moving permeable carrier crossing in closely spaced parallel relation by directing an airflow through said permeable carriers when each web length reaches the position between the crossing carriers. The airflow causes the lightweight web length to be removed from the first carrier and to be positioned and held against the other moving carrier with the web fibers oriented thereon transversely to the direction of travel. The illustrated apparatus includes two such carrier systems for changing the orientation of web lengths with respect to their direction of travel, and these systems alternately present web lengths to a continuous moving fiber web to form an uninterrupted ply of crosslaid fibers thereon. Two adhesively coated cover sheets are then applied to contain the crosslaid fibers and form a composite nonwoven material.

United States Patent [72] Inventor William H. Burger Neenah, Wis. [21]Appl. No. 848,657 [22] Filed Aug. 8, 1969 [45] Patented Oct. 26, 1971[73] Assignee Kimberly-Clark Corporation Neenah, Wis.

[54] METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CROSSLAYING WEB MATERIALS 13 Claims, 5Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl 156/303, 156/ 177 [51] int. Cl ..B32b3l/00, B32b 31/08 [50]Field of Search 156/303, 303.1, 177,49; 302/17; 161/59, 170; 93/581,58.2

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 730,410 6/1903 Staude 93/5821,885,280 11/1932 Moore i 156/177 3,110,609 11/1963 Bletzinger 161/593,236,711 2/1966 Adler 156/177 FOREIGN PATENTS 879,428 1/1957 GreatBritain 156/303 I t l 11 I If 1:111:11; [with if f ll .n im

Primary ExanzinerBenjamin A. Borchelt Assistant Examiner-James V.Doramus Attorney-Wolfe, Hubbard, Leydig, Voit & Osann ABSTRACT: A methodand apparatus for efficiently handling and crosslaying webs ofsubstantially aligned lightweight fibers in the production of nonwovenmaterials incorporating such crosslaid fibers for two-dimensionalstrength. Webs of substantially aligned fibers are conveyed along afirst permeable carrier with their fibers oriented in the directionoftravel and are transferred to a second moving permeable carriercrossing in closely spaced parallel relation by directing an airflowthrough said permeable carriers when each web length reaches theposition between the crossing carriers. The airflow causes thelightweight web length to be removed from the first carrier and to bepositioned and held against the other moving carrier with the web fibersoriented thereon transversely to the direction oftravel. The illustratedapparatus includes two such carrier systems for changing the orientationof web lengths with respect to their direction of travel, and thesesystems alternately present web lengths to a continuous moving fiber webto form an uninterrupted ply of crosslaid fibers thereon. Two adhesivelycoated cover sheets are then applied to contain the crosslaid fibers andform a composite nonwoven material.

PATENTEDnm 26 197i SHEET 1 OF 3 Ni 2 mm 0 W M Z M? Z X PATENTEDum 2el97| SHEET 30F 3 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CROSSLAYING WEB MATERIALS Thepresent invention relates generally to nonwoven materials havingcrosslaid fibers and more particularly concerns an improved method andapparatus for making such nonwoven materials.

In the manufacture of nonwoven materials it is often desirable to applyfibers in transverse directions to give two-dimensional strength to acomposite material. in the past it has been difficult to handle suchfibers or webs of such fibers due to their light weight and fragilecharacter.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improvedand efficient method and apparatus for handling and crosslayinglightweight fibers in the production of a composite nonwoven material.

Another object is to provide an efficient and reliable means fortransferring a web of substantially aligned fibers from one movingcarrier on which the fibers are oriented in the direction of travel toanother moving carrier with the web fibers positioned on that carriertransversely to the direction of travel, while not disarranging ordamaging the individual web fibers.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparentupon reading the following detailed description and upon reference tothe accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic top plan view of apparatus embodying the presentinvention;

F IG. 2 is a schematic side elevation of the apparatus of the presentinvention taken in the plane ofline 2-2 in FIG. 1;

HO. 3 is a schematic perspective view of one of the air pressure unitsemployed in the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, with the parts separated forillustrative purposes;

FIG. 4 is a schematic elevation view taken in the plane of line 44 inFIG. 1;

F 16. 5 is a plan view of a finished material manufactured by theillustrated apparatus with sections of the individual layer broken awayto show the multicomponent construction.

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications andalternative constructions, certain illustrative embodiments thereof havebeen shown in the drawings and will be described below in detail. Itshould be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit theinvention to the specific forms disclosed, but, on the contrary, theintention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions andequivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Turning now to the drawings, the invention is exemplified in anapparatus for forming a nonwoven composite material having highlyoriented crosslaid fibers therein. In the illustrative apparatus,multiple slivers of textile fibers are drawn from their respectivesupply cans 11 over a guide comb l2 and in juxtaposed relation into adraw frame 14 which comprises a series of pairs of rolls 15 and 16. Therolls of each pair are driven by appropriate gearing well known in theart at a peripheral rate of speed faster than the rate of rotation ofthe preceding roll pair. As the juxtaposed slivers pass through the drawframe 14, the individual fibers are drafted and spread out to form aflat striated web of substantially aligned fibers as indicated at 18.The fiber web 18 has a principal strength component, or direction ofstrength, in the direction of the fiber alignment, while it issubstantially deficient in cross direction strength. While theillustrated method and apparatus will be described in connection withsuch highly drafted fiber webs, it will be understood that otherlightweight fragile webs could similarly be employed.

The web 18 while still under tension may next be separated into discretelengths or segments 44, 45. in the illustrated arrangement, the web isdrawn between a knife roll 19 and anvil roll 20. A knife blade 21positioned on the periphery of the knife roll 19 severs the web 18 intoequal lengths 44,45 upon each revolution of the roll. lt is apparentthat the length of the web is determined by the circumference of theknife roll. In this case, the web 18 is cut into lengths equal to thewidth of the web, although one skilled in the art will understand thatother rectangular proportions could be used.

As the web is being severed by the knife roll 19, the forward end of thelength of web has been drawn between two moving carriers 24, 25 made ofpermeable material, such as fourdrinier wires. One carrier 24 is trainedaround a guide roll 26 adjacent the anvil roll 28, and guide rolls 30,31, 32. The second carrier 25 is trained about a guide roll 34 adjacentthe knife roll 19, a screen roll 35 immediately adjacent the screen roll28, a drum 36 in juxtaposed relation to the screen roll 35, and a guideroll 38. Still another permeable carrier 39 runs immediately adjacentthe carrier 25 while being trained about the drum 36 and screen roll 35,and then continues around the guide rolls 40, 41 and 42. As can be seen,cut lengths of web are drawn between the carriers 24, 25 and areconveyed toward the screen rolls 28, 35.

In keeping with the invention, the screen rolls 28, 35 are adapted todirect alternate web lengths 44 along a lower carrier system 70comprising carriers 24, 71, and 72 and alternate lengths 45 along anupper carrier system 74, comprising carrier 25, 39, 75 and 76. To thisend, each screen roll 28, 35 has a screen portion 46, 48, respectively,making up half the circumference, the other half of each roll being madeof nonpermeable material, and suction is applied internally of each rollin any well known manner. The screen rolls 28, 35 each may have acircumference equal to twice the length ofthe web segments 44, 45 sothat the circumferential suction portions 46, 48 equal the length of theweb segment. By appropriately driving the screen rolls so that theyrotate out of phase with each other, the suction portions 46, 48 willdraw alternate cut web lengths 44, 45, respectively, against the screenand direct them along their associated carriers 24, 25. Rotation of thescreen rolls 28, 35 may be timed so that the suction portion of one rollreaches the nip position between the rolls at the same time the leadingedge of a web reaches that position.

It should be appreciated that while in the illustrated embodiment aknife roll 19 has been shown for severing the web 18 into determinedlengths 44, 45, separation of the web into discrete lengths may beaffected by other means. For example, since the web generally is quitefragile, severing of the web may be achieved directly by the suctionscreen rolls 28, 35. in that case, the draw frame 14 would feed the web18 directly between the carriers 24, 25 and the suction portions 46, 48of the screen rolls 28, 35 would engage alternate sections of the webwith the web being pulled apart each time the suction portion of oneroll passes by the nip between the rolls and the suction portion fromthe other roll began to act on the web. Since the web fibers arerelatively short, the web would be separated with a substantially cleanand even break. The web segments similarly would have lengthscorresponding to the circumferential distance of the screen roll suctionportion and would be directed to alternate carriers.

After engagement of alternate web lengths 44, 45 by the suction screenrolls 28, 35, the web lengths continue to travel along the respectivecarriers 24, 25. The web lengths 45 engaged by the suction portion 48 ofthe upper screen roll 35 are conveyed upward around the screen roll 35and drum 36 while being interposed between the carriers 25 and 39. Whenthe web length 45 reaches the top of the drum 36, it is then conveyedaway from the drum 36 by the carriers 25 and 39. The alternate weblengths 44 engaged by the lower suction screen roll 28 travel downwardabout the screen roll 28 and drum 29 and are then conveyed away from thedrum 29 by the carrier 24. In each case, the aligned fibers of the weblengths are oriented in their direction of travel.

In keeping with the invention, the web lengths each are transferred fromthe permeable carrier on which they are being conveyed to another movingpermeable carrier crossing closely parallel to the first carrier withthe webs being positioned on said other carrier with their fibersoriented transversely to the direction of travel of that carrier. Toeffect a reliable and efficient transfer of the webs withoutdisorienting or damaging the web fibers, each web length is carried to aposition directly below and in close relation to the other movingcarrier and air flow is directed through the permeable carriers causingthe web to be removed from the first carrier and be positioned and heldagainst the other moving carrier. Referring to the upper carrier system74 of the illustrated embodiment, as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, thecarrier 75 which also is made of a permeable material such asfourdrinier wire, is disposed about guide rolls 79, 80, 81, and 82 sothat it crosses the carrier 39 in close parallel relation therewith.Thus, the carrier 39 can convey each web length 45 to a positiondirectly under the other moving carrier 75, at which. time an upwardsurge of air may be passed through the carriers 39, 75 to effect thetransfer.

To provide a controlled flow of air through the permeable carriers 39,75 in timed sequence with each web length 45 reaching the positiondirectly between the carriers, air units 50 and 53 are positioned onopposite sides of the carriers 39, 75, respectively; each air unithaving air emission grate surfaces immediately adjacent its respectivecarrier. in the illustrated embodiment the lower air unit 50, shown indetail in FIG. 3, comprises an extension portion 51 having an uppergrate 52 and a main body portion 54 having a grate surface 55 ofapproximately the same size as the web lengths 45. The air unit 50 isadapted to create a constant suction pressure at the extension grate 52to hold a web length 45 firmly against the carrier as it approaches theclosely spaced crossing carrier 75, while providing a regulatedalternating updraft and downdraft at the main grate 52 to effect thetransfer. The unit 50 includes a base 56 having a lower chamber 57 witha main opening 58 on one side communicating with a duct 59 and apertures60 in another side communicating with the interior of the extensionportion 51. A suction pressure source connected to the duct 59, as willbe explained below, creates a constant suction or downdraft at theextension grate 52.

To provide an alternating pressure at the main grate 55, the base 56 isformed with a series of parallel vertical baffles 61, the top portion ofeach baffle being open to form apertures 62 which permit communicationwith the lower chamber 57, Air passageways 63 are defined between thebaffles 61. To control the direction of the airflow through the grate55, a shutter plate 64 having a series of aligned apertures 65 isslidably positioned on the top surface of the baffles 61 with the maingrate 55 positioned over the shutter 64. A duct 66 attached to the sideof the base 56, above the duct 59, connects the passageways 63 betweenthe baffles 61 to a positive pressure source, which also will beexplained below. By slidably shifting the shutter 64 to a downdraft orsuction position, the shutter apertures 65 are in alignment with thebaffle apertures 62 while the passageways 63 between the baffles areclosed by the shutter. In that position, suction in the duct 59 drawsthrough the lower chamber 57, baffle apertures 62, shutter apertures 65and the grate 55. When the shutter 64 is shifted to an updraft orpositive pressure position, the shutter apertures 65 are in alignmentwith the air passageways 63 and the baffle apertures 62 are closed bythe shutter. A draft therefore is created through the duct 66,passageways 63, shutter apertures 65 and out through the grate 55. Anactuating mechanism 68, controlled by well known means, may slidablymove the shutter 64 between the downdraft and updraft positions atdetermined intervals.

The other air unit 53, being of the same basic construction as the unit50, need not be described in detail. The unit 53 similarly has anextension grate 84 subjected to a constant inward or suction pressureand a main grate 85 subjected to alternating outward and inward airflows. Ducts 86, 38 extend from a suction chamber and baffle region,respectively, similar to those described above.

As shown in H6. 2, a conduit 89 connects the duct 59 extending from thelower chamber 57 of the air unit 50 to the duct 88 at the baffle regionof the other unit 53. Another conduit 90 connects the duct 66 at thebaffle region of the unit 50 with the duct 86 at the suction chamber ofthe other unit 53. To create appropriate pressures in the ducts, a powerfan 91, 92 is enclosed within each conduit 89, 90, respectively. lt canbe seen that by directing the airflow from fan 92 within the conduit 90toward the duct 66 extending from the baffle region of the air unit 50 apositive pressure buildup will be created in the air passageways 63between the baffles 61 and a negative or suction pressure will becreated in the suction chamber of the air unit 53. By directing the fan91 contained in the conduit 89 in the opposite direction a positivepressure is created in the bafile passageways of the unit 53 and asuction pressure in the chamber 57 of the unit 50, as shown by thedirection arrows.

It will be appreciated that the illustrated air units 50, 53 may beoperated simultaneously by an appropriate actuating means so that whenthe shutter for the unit 50 is in an updraft position the shutter forthe other unit is in a suction position so that a steady upward flow ofair is directed through main air unit grates 55, 85, and thus throughthe area where the permeable carrier crosses the carrier 39. Likewise,when the shutter for the unit 50 is in its suction position, the shutterfor the unit 53 is in its outdraft position causing a steady downwardflow of air through the permeable carriers 39, 75.

in operation, as web length 45 passes over the extension grate 52 of theunit 50, the constant suction pressure existing at the grate 52 actsthrough the permeable carrier 39 causing the web to be held closely tothe carrier as it approaches the position where the carrier 75 crossesin close parallel relation to the first carrier. When the leading edgeof the web length 45 reaches the main air grate 55, the air unitshutters are simultaneously actuated so that a steady downdraft iscreated through the permeable carriers 39, 75, causing the web length 45to remain in close contact with the carrier 39 as it is conveyed betweenthe carriers. As the web segment 45 reaches a position completely overthe main grate 55, and thus directly under the transversely movingcarrier 7'5, the shutters for the air units 50, 53 are simultaneouslyshifted to change the airflow from a downdraft to an updraft, causingthe web length 45 to be lifted from the carrier 39 and be forced againstthe moving carrier 75 with the web fibers thus oriented transversely tothe direction of travel of the carrier 75. It has been found that therapid reversal of air flow achieved by the cooperating air units 50, 53achieves an efficient and uniform transfer of the web length 45 from thefirst moving carrier to the other without disarrangement or damage tothe web fibers. The updraft from the main air grates 55, continues tohold the web length 45 firmly against the carrier 75 as the web lengthis conveyed by the carrier away from the grate 85. The constant suctionpressure existing at the extension grate 84 of the upper air unit 53further holds the web length 45 against the carrier 75 until the leadingedge of the length reaches a nip between the carrier 75 and an auxiliarycarrier 76 through which it is drawn. When the trailing edge of the weblength 45 has been conveyed past the upper main grate 85, the leadingedge of another web length reaches the main air grate 55 of the lowerair unit 50, and at that time, the actuating mechanism will again shiftthe shutters to reverse the direction airflow to cause a downdraftthrough the carriers 39, 75 as the next web length passes over the lowermain air grate 55 to repeat the cycle.

It will be appreciated that the spacing between the web length 45carried by the carrier 39 results from alternately directing the weblengths 44, 45 along the two carrier systems 70, 74. While in theillustrated embodiment, the web segments are substantially square sothat the carriers 39, 75 would have equal speeds, it will be understoodby one skilled in the art that other rectangular sizes of web segmentscould be employed by making appropriate adjustments in the carrierspeeds.

Since the web lengths 45 are positioned on the crossing carrier 75 withtheir fiber alignment oriented transversely to the direction of travelof that carrier, they are conveyed onto the auxiliary carrier 76 with asimilar fiber orientation. The auxiliary carrier 76, being trained aboutguide rolls 94 and 95 conveys the web lengths 45 at spaced intervals toa position for engagement by a screen roll 96, which completes thetravel of the web length 45 through the upper carrier system 74.

The web lengths 44 directed along the lower carrier system 70 incur asomewhat similar course of travel, being conveyed along the carrier 24with their web fibers aligned in the direction of travel and then beingtransferred to another moving carrier 71 with the fibers orientedtransversely to the direction of travel of that carrier. Again referringto FIGS. 2 and 4, each alternative web length 44 is conveyed by thecarrier 24 to a position where the carrier 71, which crosses in closeparallel relation therewith. The carrier 71 is trained about guide rolls97a, 97b, 97c and 97d.

To effect the transfer of the web length 44 from the carrier 24 to thetransversely moving carrier 71, air units 98, 99 are disposed onopposite sides of the carriers 24, 71 in a manner identical to thatdescribed above. As the web length 44 is conveyed over an extensiongrate 100 of the unit 98, a constant suction pressure existing at thegrate 100 acts through the permeable carrier 24 to draw the web length44 closely to the carrier. The web length 44 remains firmly on thecarrier 24 as it is conveyed to a position directly under thetransversely moving carrier 71 by a downward flow of air through mainair grates 101, 102 of the units 98, 99, respectively. When the weblength is in proper position between the carriers 24, 71, a simultaneousreversal of air direction through the main air grates 101, 102 causesthe web length to be lifted from the carrier 24 and be held firmlyagainst the moving carrier 71, which has a direction of traveltransverse to the web fiber alignment. A constant suction pressureexisting at an extension grate 104 of the unit 99 retains the web length44 against the carrier until it reaches on auxiliary carrier 72 and isdrawn through a nip between the carriers 71, 72. The auxiliary carrier72, which is trained about guide rollers 105, 106 and 108, receives theweb lengths 44 at spaced intervals for travel in a direction transverseto their fibers alignment.

In keeping with the invention, the web lengths 44, 45 are crosslaid onanother moving medium to form a two-ply, nonwoven material. In theillustrated embodiment, the web lengths 44, 45 are placed alternately ona moving continuous fiber web 110 having fibers aligned in the directionof the web travel. The web 110 is formed by drawing multiple slivers oftextile fibers 111 from their respective supply cans 112, over a guidecomb 114, and into a drawn frame 115 which forms the flat striated web110 of aligned. fibers similar to the web described above. From the drawframe 115, the web 110 is drawn between a nip formed by the auxiliarycarrier 72 and a carrier 116, which is trained around guide rolls 118,119, 120 with the auxiliary carrier guide roll 105 acting as a directionroll and creating the nip. The continuous web 110 is then drawn aroundthe auxiliary carrier guide roll 105 and is moved along with theauxiliary carrier 72. The carrier 71 deposits the web lengths 44 atspaced intervals on the continuous web 110 with the fibers of thelengths 44 being oriented transversely to the fibers of the continuousweb 110. The continuous web 110 and the crosslaid web lengths 44 arethen conveyed toward the screen roll 96 where the web lengths 45 arepositioned in the spaces between the lengths 44 to complete asubstantially uniform ply of crosslaid fibers over the continuous web110.

To facilitate proper positioning of the web lengths 45 on the continuousweb 110, the screen roll 96 is provided with a constant suction pressureacting over the circumferential distance 121 between the auxiliarycarriers 76 and 72 so that each web length 45 is held against therotating screen roll as it is carried over the distance 121 and isguided onto the continuous web 110 moving with the carrier 72. In theillustrated apparatus, the suction pressure is limited to thecircumferential distance 121 by appropriate stationery radial vanes 122,124 which define a suction chamber encompassing the distance 121. It canbe seen that each web carried by the screen roll 96 from the carrier 76to the carrier 72 is released from a suction pressure as it passes thestationery vane 124.

lt will be understood by those skilled in the art that by providing thedistance of travel through the upper carrier system equal to thedistance of travel through the lower carrier system, or otherwise byappropriately controlling the carrier speeds, the web lengths 44 and 45may be made to alternately reach the nip of the screen roll 96 andcarrier 72 so that the web lengths 45 are placed in and fill the spacesbetween the web lengths 44 already positioned on the continuous web 110.lt will be appreciated that due to the very thin nature of the fiberwebs 44 and 45, however, any small amount of overlapping that may existbetween web lengths 44, 45 will have no noticeable effect in a finishedproduct.

In the illustrated embodiment, the continuous web and crosslaid weblengths 44, 45 are next drawn from the carrier 72 through a pair ofrollers 125, 126 and incorporated between cover sheets of elongatedmaterial to form a composite nonwoven material. As shown in F IG. 4, asheet of elongated material 128, such as a creped wadding sheet whichhas been stretched and ironed to facial tissue softness, is drawn aroundthe lower roller from a supply roll 129. An offset printing roll islocated between the roller 125 and supply roll 129 and a metered amountof adhesive is applied to the roll 130 from an application roll 131rotatably disposed in an adhesive drip pan 132. Excessive adhesive iswiped from the application roll with a suitable doctor blade 134. Theapplication roll 131 preferably is an intaglio print roll having asubstantially open spaced pattern, such as a diamond pattern. The totalarea occupied by the adhesive preferably should not exceed more than 25percent of the total area of the final product. The adhesively printedsheet 128 is drawn around the guide roll 125 with the fibers of thecrosslaid webs 110, 44, 45 impinging against the adhesive surface of thesheet and becoming partially embedded therein. A elongated crepedwadding sheet 135 from a supply roll 136 similarly is printed with anadhesive by a printing roll 138 and is drawn around the upper guide roll126 and applied to the opposite side of the crosslaid fiber webs to forma composite laminated sheet 140.

The composite sheet 140 thus formed is drawn from the rollers 125, 126and around a heating drum 141 where curing of the adhesive issubstantially completed to a nontacky condition while the web fibers arein firm contact therewith. To provide a maximum curing time for thecomposite sheet 140, the sheet is drawn around a position roll 142 whichincreases the distance of travel around the curing drum 141. While anadhesive was not applied between the crosslaid webs in the illustratedcase, it will be appreciated that the web fibers will be embeddedsufficiently within the adhesive of the cover sheets as to form a firmlybonded composite material. After being cured, the composite sheet isdrawn and wound around a takeup roll 144, Referring to FIG. 5, thefinished composite material includes the outer cover sheet 128, fibersof the web 1 10 oriented longitudinally, crosslaid fibers of the webs44, 45 shown laying on either side of a phantom line 145 although beingunderstood that there may be some overlap as previously pointed out, andthe outer cover sheet 135.

In view of the foregoing, it can be seen that the apparatus and methodof the present invention provides an efficient and reliable means ofhandling and crosslaying lightweight web fibers in the production of acomposite nonwoven material. It will be apparent to those skilled in theart that many variations from the examples given may be employed withoutdeparting from the spirit of this invention. For example, sliversintroduced into the draw frames 14 and 115 any include thermoplasticfibers which, when heated, bond together. Also other types of orientedwebs, especially webs which are deficient in cross-direction strength,such as creped tissue, carded webs, spread tow, plastic films or splitfilm networks, highly oriented in the direction of travel, may besubstituted for the highly drafted web if desired.

1 claim as my invention:

1. A method of fabricating a nonwoven material having highly orientedcrosslaid material therein, comprising the steps of separating a fragileweb of material into discrete lengths, said web having a principalstrength component oriented substantially in the longitudinal directionof the web. placing lengths of said webs on a moving penneable carrierwith said web strength components oriented in the direction of travel,conveying each said length on said carrier to a position in spacedrelation to a second permeable carrier moving transversely and crossingsaid first carrier, directing an airflow through said permeable carriersin a direction generally perpendicular to the planes of both of saidcarriers, said air flow being operable to transfer each of said lengthsfrom said first carrier to said second carrier when said length reachessaid position, such that the web strength component is oriented on saidsecond carrier transversely to the direction of travel of said secondcarrier, and conveying said web lengths along said second carrier.

2. the method of claim 1 including directing an airflow in one directionto hold said web lengths firmly on said first carrier while approachingsaid position in close relation to said second carrier, and reversingthe direction of said airflow when each web length reaches said positionto transfer said web length to said second carrier.

3. The method of claim 2 including applying air pressure to firmly holdsaid transferred web lengths against said second carrier as they areconveyed by that carrier.

4. The method of claim 1 including removing said lengths from saidsecond carrier and combining said lengths with a moving medium with saidweb strength components oriented transversely to the direction of travelof said medium.

5. A method of claim 4 including the step of forming said web bydrafting multiple slivers of staple length fibers into a substantiallyaligned condition, said fibers being oriented in the longitudinaldirection of the web and forming the principal strength component of theweb, and said medium being a continuous web of substantially alignedfibers oriented in the direction of travel of said medium, and said weblengths are successively placed on and combined with said continuous webto form an uninterrupted ply of crosslaid fibers.

6. The method of claim 5 including the step of adhesively applying anelongated cover sheet of material to said continuous web after said weblengths have been crosslaid.

7. The method of claim 6 including the step of adhesively applying asecond elongated cover sheet of material to contain said continuous weband crosslaid lengths between said first and second cover sheets.

8. A method of fabricating a nonwoven material having highly orientedcrosslaid materials therein, comprising the steps of separating thefragile web of material into discrete lengths, said web having aprincipal strength components oriented substantially in the longitudinaldirection of the material, conveying lengths of said web on a firstpermeable carrier with said web strength components oriented in thedirection of travel, directing an airflow generally perpendicular to theplane of said first carrier to thereby transfer said lengths to anothermoving permeable carrier crossing said first carrier, said carrierslying in generally parallel planes during crossing, such that the webstrength components of said lengths are oriented on said other carriertransversely to the direction of travel of said other carrier, conveyingsaid lengths on said other carrier, conveying other lengths of web alonga second permeable carrier with the web strength components oriented inthe direction of travel, directing an airflow generally perpendicular tothe plane of said second carrier to transfer said other web lengths toanother moving permeable carrier crossing said carrier in a planegenerally parallel with said second carrier such that said web strengthcomponents are oriented thereon transversely to the direction of travel,of said second other carrier, removing said lengths from said othercarriers and combining said lengths with a moving medium whereby thestrength components of said lengths are oriented transversely to thedirection of travel of said medium.

9. The method of claim 8 including directing an airflow in one directionthrough said first carrier and said other carrier to hold each said weblength firmly to said first carrier as it approaches the position wheresaid carriers cross, reversing the direction of said airflow when eachweb length reaches said position to transfer said web to said othercarrier, and applying air pressure through said other carrier to firmlyhold each said transferred web length against the other carrier as theyare conveyed by that carrier, directing an airflow in one directionthrough said second carrier and said second other carrier to hold eachsaid other web length firmly to said second carrier as it approaches theposition where said carriers cross, reversing the direction of airflowwhen each said other web length reaches said position to transfer saidweb length to said second other carrier, and applying air pressurethrough said second other carrier to firmly hold each said other weblength against that carrier as it is conveyed by that carrier.

10. The method of claim 8 including placing said web lengths removedfrom said other carriers in alternate succession on said moving mediumso that an uninterrupted ply of crosslaid webs are combined with saidmedium.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said web lengths are placed on saidfirst and second carriers in spaced intervals by drawing said webbetween a pair of juxtaposed screen rolls each having a suction pressureacting over a portion of their circumference, alternate lengths of saidweb being carried about the periphery of one of said screen rolls underthe influence of its pressure and directed to said first carrier, andalternate lengths of said web being carried about the periphery of thesecond screen roll under the influence of its pressure and directed tosaid second carrier.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein said web is separated into discretelengths by drawing said web past a knife roll which severs it into equalincrements.

13. The method of claim ll wherein said web is separated into discretelengths by suction pressure forces applied to alternate lengths of saidweb by said screen rolls.

* i Ill i

2. the method of claim 1 including directing an airflow in one directionto hold said web lengths firmly on said first carrier while approachingsaid position in close relation to said second carrier, and reversingthe direction of said airflow when each web length reaches said positionto transfer said web length to said second carrier.
 3. The method ofclaim 2 including applying air pressure to firmly hold said transferredweb lengths against said second carrier as they are conveyed by thatcarrier.
 4. The method of claim 1 including removing said lengths fromsaid second carrier and combining said lengths with a moving medium withsaid web strength components oriented transversely to the direction oftravel of said medium.
 5. A method of claim 4 including the step offorming said web by drafting multiple slivers of staple length fibersinto a substantially aligned condition, said fibers being oriented inthe longitudinal direction of the web and forming the principal strengthcomponent of the web, and said medium being a continuous web ofsubstantially aligned fibers oriented in the direction of travel of saidmedium, and said web lengths are successively placed on and combinedwith said continuous web to form an uninterrupted ply of crosslaidfibers.
 6. The method of claim 5 including the step of adhesivelyapplying an elongated cover sheet of material to said continuous webafter said web lengths have been crosslaid.
 7. The method of claim 6including the step of adhesively applying a second elongated cover sheetof material to contain said continuous web and crosslaid lengths betweensaid first and second cover sheets.
 8. A method of fabricating anonwoven material having highly oriented crosslaid materials therein,comprising the steps of separating the fragile web of material intodiscrete lengths, said web having a principal strength componentsoriented substantially in the longitudinal direction of the material,conveying lengths of said web on a first permeable carrier with said webstrength components oriented in the direction of travel, directing anairflow generally perpendicular to the plane of said first carrier tothereby transfer said lengths to another moving permeable carriercrossing said first carrier, said carriers lying in generally parallelplanes during crossing, such that the web strength components of saidlengths are oriented on said other carrier transversely to the directionof travel of said other carrier, conveying said lengths on said othercarrier, conveying other lengths of web along a second permeable carrierwith the web strength components oriented in the direction of travel,directing an airflow generally perpendicular to the plane of said secondcarrier to transfer said other web lengths to another moving permeablecarrier crossing said carrier in a plane generally parallel with saidsecond carrier such that said web strength components are orientedthereon transversely to the direction of travel, of said second othercarrier, removing said lengths from said other carriers and combiningsaid lengths with a moving medium whereby the strength components ofsaid lengths are oriented transversely to the direction of travel ofsaid medium.
 9. The method of claim 8 including directing an airflow inone direction through said first carrier and said other carrier to holdeach said web length firmly to said first carrier as it approaches theposition where said carrIers cross, reversing the direction of saidairflow when each web length reaches said position to transfer said webto said other carrier, and applying air pressure through said othercarrier to firmly hold each said transferred web length against theother carrier as they are conveyed by that carrier, directing an airflowin one direction through said second carrier and said second othercarrier to hold each said other web length firmly to said second carrieras it approaches the position where said carriers cross, reversing thedirection of airflow when each said other web length reaches saidposition to transfer said web length to said second other carrier, andapplying air pressure through said second other carrier to firmly holdeach said other web length against that carrier as it is conveyed bythat carrier.
 10. The method of claim 8 including placing said weblengths removed from said other carriers in alternate succession on saidmoving medium so that an uninterrupted ply of crosslaid webs arecombined with said medium.
 11. The method of claim 10 wherein said weblengths are placed on said first and second carriers in spaced intervalsby drawing said web between a pair of juxtaposed screen rolls eachhaving a suction pressure acting over a portion of their circumference,alternate lengths of said web being carried about the periphery of oneof said screen rolls under the influence of its pressure and directed tosaid first carrier, and alternate lengths of said web being carriedabout the periphery of the second screen roll under the influence of itspressure and directed to said second carrier.
 12. The method of claim 10wherein said web is separated into discrete lengths by drawing said webpast a knife roll which severs it into equal increments.
 13. The methodof claim 11 wherein said web is separated into discrete lengths bysuction pressure forces applied to alternate lengths of said web by saidscreen rolls.